2 Corinthians 11:1-12:10
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2 Corinthians 11:1-12:10
2 Corinthians 11:1-12:10
1 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me.
2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Let’s pray church: Help us to remember Jesus that You have not designed a relationship with you to be hard, it’s what you want with us, amen
Paul starts out this section by asking the church in Corinth to bear with him, to extend him a little bit of grace here, but he is about ready to let some stuff rip…verse one again…2 Cor 11:1
1 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me.
OK, church, I’m going to be silly here for a moment to make my point. These Super Apostles, the fakers that have come in among you speak highly of themselves to bring me down, allow me to speak about myself a little as well. He goes on 2 Cor 11:2
2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Paul says I’m jealous for you , not of you. Betrothed you -commited you. When a couple says they are engaged, they have expressed their intention to marry, when they are betrothed, they have committed to marriage, not just good intentions. In the day that this was written if someone was unfaithful during their betrothal it was considered adultery, in fact if you wanted to terminate a betrothal, it required a divorce.
Paul says, I betrothed you to one husband, the one thing I wanted to do was to set you aside to be the Bride of Christ, not a bride with divided affection or distractions, but as a chaste virgin to Christ. It was the job of the friend of the bridegroom to protect the bride until the day of the wedding.
Paul says this is what I wanted for you guys, but I fear something, vs 3 says…2 Cor 11:3
3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
I don’t know how many times you’ve read over that verse, or skipped it to get down to the end of the chapter where Paul lists off some of the things he’s suffered for the sake of the gospel. But this is a powerful verse! If we look at Paul’s emphasis on this verse, you’ll begin to realize how life changing, how freeing, what he is talking about he can be in your life.
He starts by saying I’m afraid for you guys, that you’ve been duped, or cheated out of something to the same magnitude of Eve being deceived by the serpent in the garden, that had to catch their attention! Maybe they woke up the people in the back row, hey guys this part is serious. Actually, let me say something for a quick second, I want to encourage you and I say this not for my sake, I’m used to you guys falling asleep, but I’ve had other people that have had opportunity share to Word of God and it has saddened their heart, and in some cases discouraged when they look out and see your heads bobbing.
I understand fatigue. But when I show up at a meeting where the Word of God is being shared, I do everything I can to stay engaged. I don’t just mean listen and take notes, but if I’m fighting sleep, I’m on my feet at the back of the room. Not leaning on the wall, I’m standing because if God made it so I would be there, I don’t want to miss the part that He had for me. So do what you need to do.
Paul says I fear that you guys may have had you minds corrupted, or messed up from the simplicity that is in Christ. I’ve spent all week chewing on this. Much of me wanted to do our entire Sunday morning service on this verse and searching out the simplicity that is in Christ. But I think I’ll let you guys dig deeper into that throughout your weak.
You guys know that I’ve gone back to school and am studying theology. I’ve had opportunities to dig deep into some topics, I’ve learned a ton, I’ve been exposed to some great thinkers and it has all been very profitable for me and I think our church as well. There is a danger in that though, or a risk, if one begins to allow that knowledge to corrupt their mind from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Do you guys remember when the theologians of the day tried to test Jesus? In the Gospel of Matthew we read, "34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"" - Matthew 22:34-36 NKJV Now I can honestly imagine the scholars today having academic debates over this question, or me being asked to compose a 15-18 page research paper Biblically defending my potion on the greatest commandment. Jesus kept it simple, He said, Matt 22:37-40
37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Meaning if you keep it simple, if you follow these two principles, everything else will come out of that naturally. Yeah, yeah pastor that’s a good start, but I want to be busy about the Lord’s business, I want to be used for the kingdom of God, OK, what is the Lord’s business? What does that look like? Well we have a simple answer to that question in the Bible. But Again, we could form a committee if we could agree on who was going to be on the committee to explore what the work of the Lord even is, Jesus answers the question simply in John 6:29, I want to back up a couple of verses for context, so verse 27, John 6:27-29
27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
28 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
That’s it? That’s it! Believe! You want to get to Heaven, you need to believe in Jesus. That means believe in Jesus, not yourself, not your own merit, not your works, just Jesus. Yeah but you don’t understand, I’ve done some bad stuff, I haven’t lived right, I came to church so I could learn to do the stuff I need to do to feel better about myself. We don’t have that kind of stuff. In fact, once you get involved in church or religion, you can have your minds corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. Because there are a lot of rules in religion! What to say, what not to say.
There’s a special way you’re supposed to pray, bow you head, fold your hands, get on your knees, cross yourself. Wear this, you can’t wear that. The leaders have to wear robes or collars or a three piece suite up to 75 degrees, a shirt and tie above 80, rules, and bondage, and I just don’t think Jesus is into all that. In John 15 He talks about this simplicity that is in Him.
1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
Now that makes sense to me. If I prune one the branches off of my apple tree, guess what? No apples. A branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine. Jesus says He’s the vine, we are the branches, a branch can’t bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vines, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
Maybe you have been frustrated and discouraged because you see other people doing stuff and you’re not seeing fruit in your life. Lord, I’m trying here, I’ve tried all these different things and I just can’t seem to make any progress, get anything done, look what Jesus would say to that…John 15:5
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
Jesus would say, yeah I know. That’s the same for everyone. Without Me you can’t do anything! It doesn’t matter how long you’ve gone to church, or what position you served in the past. Without Jesus we can do nothing, but if we abide in Him, then He bears a bunch of fruit through us. That sounds hard. Really? Being a branch that it tied into the vine, that is fed by the vine, supported by the vine, what if I get thirsty, the vine is the river of life, the well that doesn’t run dry, just abide in Him.
I don’t know, it doesn’t feel right, I want to earn it, I want something to show for my efforts, yeah but without me you can do nothing…Well I’d feel better about it if I strived a little, earned it. Not sure I just want to abide....Just continues John 15:6-8
6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
What if I ask you to use me? To produce fruit in me and through my life, well then it shall be done for you....
I just need to abide? Like stay attached to you like a branch and a vine, be totally dependent upon you, be feed by you, strengthened by you? Oh, no, there’s more…John 15:9-12
9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Jesus said all the law and the prophets could be broken down to two commandments, and now makes it even simpler for us, This is My commandment, love one another as I have loved you.
There is so much for us in the gospels about the simplicity that is in Christ in the gospels, the story of Mary and Martha. Martha was worried and trouble by so many things, but Mary simply sat at the feet of Jesus. It was simple and Jesus said she chose the better thing. The rich young ruler in Luke chapter 18 had wealth and he had power and he asked what shall I do to inherent eternal life? Jesus said, you know the commandments and named some of them, the young man said, I’ve kept those since my youth. Jesus told him to take all his stuff and give it to the poor, and to just follow Him. That just seemed too simple, so he kept his stuff, walked away sad, without Jesus.
Paul’s fear was that this church was hanging on to the stuff of religion, buying into the performance of these super apostles, eloquent in speech and presentation, and missing out on the simplicity that is in Christ. And he compared it to the deception of Satan in the garden. Paul goes on from there, and I’m going to move quickly through this…2 Cor 11:4-7
4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
5 For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles.
6 Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.
7 Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?
Paul was saying I was trying to show you that I wasn’t in it for the money. 2 Cor 11:8-9
8 I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you.
9 And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself.
Now if you remember this region had money and wealth, those in Macedonia did not. A Paul is saying I received from them rather than you so as not to be a burden to you or to give you anything to whine about. That was a shot that I’m sure connected. 2 Cor 11:10-13
10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!
12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
16 I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little.
17 What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
18 Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast.
19 For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise!
20 For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face.
21 To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.
Too weak to abuse the sheep like the super apostles, or the most eminent apostles.
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.
23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.
24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—
28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
30 If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
32 In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me;
33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.
If he were to boast here’s something, but the Lord saw to it that he would not, let’s look at the first part of chapter 12
1 It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—
4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Not lawful here is similar to if I were to say it would be a crime for me to say, or that’s off limits, or I don’t have permission to say.
5 Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities.
6 For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
We find out in verse 7 that it really was Paul who had the vision, and he pleaded with the Lord to take it away, and the Lord said no, verse 9
9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
But Lord, Satan did this, you allowed it, can’t you just allow it? No Paul, my grace is sufficient. By grace you are saved through faith, Paul, you’re saved, that’s enough, that’s all you need. When you are weak, my strength is perfect. Your strength is never perfect Paul, why would you want that. When you are weak, that’s when I’m strong.
Can I say that this might be the most important thing for you to hear this year if you have been struggling with an awareness of your weakness? Or you’ve been hurting and painfully aware of your inability to do something that you wish you could do. Or be used in a way that you wish you could be used? You’ve felt like a failure because you’ve wanted to teach, or influence, or serve in a way that you haven’t been able to serve. Stop letting it bum you out, because without Him, we’re all nothing.
Jesus didn’t take Paul’s thorn away, because Jesus knew better, so Paul just abided in his love and kept going. God knows all the things that we don’t know. How many of you have gotten your gardens in? Don’t you love the garden this time of year? The soil is all freshly tilled, the plants are in nice neat rows, everything looks beautiful. But you that have gardened in the past, what is looming just under the soil? Weeds!
When we abide in Jesus, like a branch in the vine, much fruit can be produced. Sometimes we try really hard, or strive, in Maine we call it grinding to get stuff done, and there’s no fruit, or maybe we aren’t even given the opportunity. Why? God might know that that’s not of him, its some weed in us that we are trying to let spring up.
We can get all bummed out because we feel like we have nothing to offer, Paul says, you can have it all with the wrong heart and you still have nothing. Remember that from the first letter? 1 Cor 13:1-3
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Guess what, maybe we really have nothing to offer, but if we abide in Jesus, He is not limited at all in what He can do in me, or in you, or through you. Now I know that just as soon as I say that, some of you probably start thinking again about your own weaknesses, your own limitations, and I’ll say it again, those don’t apply to Jesus.
You may be here this morning with nothing to offer, believe on the One whom He sent, love one another, love one another enough to listen to one another, and God may work through you to produce fruit in someone else’s life. God may give you a Word of knowledge or a Word of wisdom. Know about a situation that you could not have otherwise known, or give you and answer for someone that has no idea what to do.
Guys, I’m going to ask Susan to come back up. I fear that some of us, and at times all of us, have allowed our minds to be corrupted by the world, by good intentions, great ideas, new methods, by high ambitions, whatever it may be…and I want to just spend a few minutes remembering the joy of our salvation, remembering that His grace is sufficient.
I want to share communion together remembering that Jesus came and died on the cross, God has invited us all to place our faith and our trust in Him and we will be saved. Communion is for believers, so as Susan is singing, folks are going to come up front and begin passing out the elements The bread to represent his body and the juice His blood that was shed for us. So just take a cracker and a cup and hold them to the end of the song and we will partake together.
"23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes." - 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 NKJV